


The story of Ben Rory

by turnupfortrash



Series: The Story of Ben Rory [1]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Background Relationships, Emotions, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Kid Fic, M/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-19
Updated: 2016-09-17
Packaged: 2018-07-25 09:46:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7527934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turnupfortrash/pseuds/turnupfortrash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Navigating their complicated relationship is hard enough, throw a child into the mix and things start to really get difficult.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheBustyStClair](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBustyStClair/gifts).



> Ok so I had originally planned to hold off on posting until it was all complete but someone said "do the thing" and I was like WELL OKAY YOU CONVINCED ME considering I totally already wanted to do it.  
> So here you go, hopefully updates will happen once every couple of weeks.  
> Thanks to Busty for being so interested in this idea, having someone else be really excited about this with me really made writing easier.  
> And thanks to asiriusslytherin for the beta read, all future angst can be blamed on her tbh

It was an average wednesday, nothing in particular made it stand out to Leonard. He was curled up on the couch reading a book, watching over Mick as he tinkered with yet another one of his projects. A normal weekday for the pair of rogues, a little bit of rest between pulling off heists and generally causing mischief. Lisa was off visiting her boyfriend and the house was unusually quiet, it was perfect.

Of course, just thinking that jinxed it, the doorbell ringing out obnoxiously. Mick just leveled a glare at him before going back to his work. Leonard sighed, guess it was up to him to take care of this. He sauntered to the door, more than willing to make whoever was at the door wait. He looked at the security camera screen, Leonard could see something something near the bottom of the screen but he couldn’t make out what it was. His fingers tightened on the handle of his cold gun as he slowly opened the door. Sitting on their front porch was a small child, a suitcase sat next to him as he played with a stuffed dinosaur unaware of Leonard watching him.

Leonard knelt down before asking, “Can I help you there, kid?”

The kid startled at his comment, hugging the dinosaur to his chest as he turned to look at Leonard.

“Who are you?”

Leonard chuckled at the question, “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

The kid leveled an oddly familiar glare at him, apparently not finding the question funny.

“What’s your name, kid?”

“My name’s Ben, I’m 4 but I’m almost 5.”

Leonard smiled at that, memories coming back unbidden of Lisa saying something similar. ‘ _I’m almost 9, Lenny!’._ Leonard is startled out of his recollection when Ben continues talking.

“Mommy says I have to come live with Daddy for a bit while she gets better.” The kid looks like he’s about ready to burst into tears just thinking about it. “Mommy says she’s not feeling good.”

Leonard frowned at that comment, “Who’s your dad, kid?”

“I… I don’t know.” The tears had come, the kid buried his face in his dinosaur. He kept talking but Leonard couldn’t really understand him through the sobbing.

“Alright, kid. Let’s get you inside. We’ll see if we can figure it out.”

Leonard wheeled the suitcase in as he waited for the kid to get up off the deck. Trying to give the kid a chance to settle a bit. Sure enough the kid stumbled in after him, carefully looking around their house.

“Mick, we have a visitor. You wanna put your project away for a bit.” Len calls out, listening for the answering grunt of acknowledgement before continuing to talk to the kid. “Now kid, what’s your Mom’s name, or her number. We can call her up and see if she can come get you?”

The kid sniffled as he answered softly, “Mommy’s name is Poppy… Poppy Parrish.”

There was a clattering across the hall, Mick standing in the doorway. Surprise was clear on his slack face before he turned around and went back into the living room. Leonard walks over to peer after him, Mick’s sitting on the couch with his head in his hands and a phone to his ear.

“Answer the damn phone, Poppy.” Mick ground out, the tension clear in his body.

The kid had moved to follow Leonard, staring at Mick from behind his legs.

“Mick, what’s going on?”

* * *

 

The kid was Mick’s, they’d figured that much out. As for the mother, where she had disappeared to remains a mystery. Mick wouldn’t say too much about their relationship but it was obvious he knew her, and the resemblance to the kid even more obvious. Said kid, Ben, was fast asleep on the couch. He had sat there while Mick and Len quietly talked, the dinosaur held tightly in his arms, before he dozed off curled up on the couch.

“What are you thinking, Mick?” Leonard asked quietly.

“Hmph” Mick grunted a response, too busy staring at Ben to really be listening.

“Mick, talk to me.” Len’s voice quieted slightly, “Please.”

Leonard was trying to keep his cool but this whole situation was hitting a bit too close to home for him. Child, abandoned by their parent, who knows what would happen to the kid if they didn’t take him in.

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Lenny.” Mick sighed.

“I want you to tell me what you’re thinking, I want you to tell me what you’re going to do about Ben.”

“What the hell am I supposed to do, obviously he has to go back to his mother.”

“What do you mean obviously. You want to bring this kid back to the woman that just dropped him off on somebody's porch and then left?” Leonard’s voice started to rise in his anger.

“Fuckin’ better than keeping him here with us. We’re criminals, in case you hadn’t forgotten, not like we live the safest lives.” Mick’s glared at his partner, his own voice raising with his frustration.

Len rubs his hand across his head, trying to think of a way to communicate why this was bothering him without delving too deep into his own childhood issues. Mick knew enough, to tell him anymore would just be embarrassing. But, Leonard steeled himself, this was important. Making sure another child didn’t go through anything remotely close to what he went through, that was worth the discomfort of talking through his emotions. He was saved from figuring out where to start when the front door opened.

“Lenny, darling. I’m home!” Lisa’s voice sung out.

She walked down the hallway, no doubt taking in the tense air between the pair. She looked at them curiously, before peering past them and seeing the sleeping child on the couch. Surprise was clear on her face and Leonard was already trying to think about how exactly to explain the situation.

“Lenny, what did you do?”

“Why do you always assume it was me that fucked up?” Leonard complained, although he regretted his word choice after Mick’s face took on a pained expression.

“How else would you guys end up with some random child stashed away in our living room? You guys said you were staying in today, not going out to _literally_ kidnap a child.” As she spoke, Lisa grabbed their hands and dragged the two men towards the dining room table.

Mick’s legs seemed to give out on him, falling into the chair with a loud thump. Leonard perched himself on his chair, legs crossed, mind already racing to analyze all of the possible outcomes of this situation. Lisa stared at the pair of them before finally settling on Mick.

“Alright, spill.”

“She was just some broad. Met her when I was running with the Santini crew while Lenny was in lockup, I the heavy weight during a fuckin’ deal.When she wasn’t hopped up on the product she was alright to hang out with, she didn’t care about what I got up to or where I went.” Mick’s voice was muffled by his arms but the deprecating laugh rang out clearly. “Hell, probably didn’t even notice when I was gone. One day I got caught, they shipped me off to Iron Heights, and I never went back.”

“So, what, you found out you have a kid so you go take him?”

Leonard glared at his sister, annoyed she would think that of either of them. “No, he was dropped off on our porch.”

“Well,” Lisa looked between them, “what are you going to do about it? We can’t just keep him.”

Mick lifted his head at that, a pinched expression on his face, before rising from the table completely and walking towards the door. Leonard stood to go after him but his sister stopped him.

“Let him go. He needs time to process this, he’ll come back when he’s ready.” Lisa paused, looking over her shoulder towards the living room. “Now, I got a friend that can look into this. Give us some more information so we can figure this shit out.”

Lisa stood, reaching for her cellphone as she walked towards her room. Leonard stood at the table still, torn between sitting back down and trying to plan or going after his partner. Their relationship was poorly defined, caught somewhere between partners in crime and partners in life. Still, he felt like it was his responsibility to comfort Mick. Somehow find the right words to get through to him.

He made his way towards the back door, already knowing where Mick would be. Leonard found him sitting beneath the large elm tree in their yard, head between his knees. He sat down, shoulder grazing his partner’s, and the pair was silent initially.

“Used to have a tree like this growing up, one of the reasons I was so set on this house.” Mick said eventually.

Mick didn’t often speak of his childhood, at least not to him. Len wasn’t sure exactly how to respond.

“It’s a nice thing to have for a kid,” Leonard paused.“The parks near our place growing up didn’t even have plants let alone trees this big.”

Mick turns to face him. “What are we going to do with a kid, Lenny? I got no business in being a father.”

“It’s up to you, Mick. Whatever happens is up to you.” Leonard said with a sigh, head leaning back against the tree.

“What, you ain’t got no big plan of exactly what we should do?” Mick asked with a snort.

“Not this time.”

“Well, fuck.”


	2. Chapter 2

The pair head in before Ben could wake up, not quite sure how he’d react to thinking he was alone in the house. He was asleep in that deep way that only children seem to achieve. Looking at him now, Leonard couldn’t help but pick out all of the features he inherited from Mick. He looked big for a kid his age, his dark hair hung down past his ears, but what sealed it for Leonard was the furrowed brow even while he slept. Leonard tucked a blanket around Ben’s shoulders, smiling a little at the memories today was bringing back. Lisa’s early years were the golden age for their family. Lisa’s mother was still around, Lewis was in Iron Heights, and Len had just finished his time at juvie. Having Lisa around was the best deterrent for him getting in trouble, he knew he had to be there for her in the way no one was for him. 

Lost in thought, Leonard didn’t notice Mick watching him with Ben until he turned to leave the room. He was staring at him with this slightly pained expression that Mick always got when he was thinking. The attention made Len feel awkward, Mick knew what he did for Lisa growing up but it felt different with Ben. Mick was as good as family at this point, even if they’re not related by blood. Leonard couldn’t help but see the kid as family, no matter how the situation ended up. They’re both saved from talking by the knock at the door. Lisa appeared at the door, opening it and dragging someone inside.

“The hell he doin’ here?” Mick growled.

“You told  _ him _ where our safe house is?” Leonard asked his sister, glaring at the man she was herding towards the dining room.

“Not the time, brother mine.”

“Hi, hello,” Cisco waved his hand at the trio. “I am standing right in front of you guys.” 

Leonard rolled his eyes before grabbing the brown folder from Cisco’s hands and sitting at the table. 

“Yes, please. Do help yourself.” Cisco commented sarcastically, pulling out his own chair to sit in.

Leonard read over it quietly, brows furrowing as he read further.

“Well come on, Lenny. What’s it say?” Lisa tried to peer over his shoulder.

Nothing good, if Leonard was being completely honest with himself. Leonard read the file aloud to the group. Covering the details of Poppy’s arrests for drugs and other petty crimes going back to her teenage years. 

“But there’s no record of her ever having a baby.” Lisa said as they went over the papers.

“Yeah, but,” Cisco reached over the table to grab one of the pages. “There’s this four year break where she had no arrests, before it starts up again last year.”

“It matches up with when she must have gotten pregnant, she got clean for Ben.” Lisa nodded as she looked over the same page.

“Fat lotta good that did for him considering what she’s up to now.” Mick scoffed, leaning against the door frame. Half of his attention on the group at the table and the other half on Ben’s sleeping form. 

“What are you thinking, Mick?” Leonard drawled.

“Those sheets of yours got an address?”

* * *

 

Mick and Leonard showed up at the apartment, a long way away from their own rural house, in one of the shadier parts of Central City. They had left Ben with Lisa, introducing the pair briefly before taking off. Ben had seemed reluctant to part from Len, that initial conversation the longest he had talked to any of them. Still he seemed fine quietly playing by himself, stuffed dinosaur and a pile of pillows all brought over to one corner of the room where he could observe and play. 

The papers Cisco had brought them, didn't list an apartment number. Leonard looked over the aged paper by the door that listed the house numbers, names scratched out times over in an attempt to update it. Under some of the pen marks, he could make out the name Poppy next to the number 311. However it had been replaced, leaving the pair with no knowledge of where she was living. Someone pushed past the pair, moving to open the door. Leonard stopped them with a hand on the arm and a glare.

"We're looking for someone, goes by Poppy. You know where she's moved to?"

The woman looked annoyed at having been stopped, but answered regardless. "She's out back."

"Out back where?" Mick asked in confusion.

"Out  _ back _ " The woman repeated with a huff, tearing her arm away and moving inside the building. 

Mick growled, cursing under his breath as Leonard led the pair through the alley and around the back of the building. There they found, among the dumpsters, a series of cardboard boxes, tents, and old mattresses. It seemed that those who could no longer afford to live in the building, didn't go very far. There were people huddled together talking, giving the oncoming pair a wary look. 

Leonard walked up to them, aware of Mick standing behind him looking vaguely menacing. 

"Poppy Parrish. Where is she?"

They all looked at each other before an older man rolled his eyes and hiked a thumb over his shoulder, pointing at a pair of legs sticking out from a tent. The pair walked over together but Leonard motioned for Mick to make the first move with a wave of his hand. After a moment of being flustered, Leonard could see Mick steel himself and kneeled down to talk to the woman he had once knew. 

"Poppy... Hey Poppy." Mick said, making an attempt to knock at the door of the tent even though it was open. 

The woman, Poppy, startled but moved to get up, poking her head out of the tent. If she was startled at the voice, she was down right scared at seeing Mick's face.

"Micky, what are you doing here?"

"I came to find out what the fuck is going on. Dropping a kid off at my door, what the hell were you thinking?" Mick growled, emotions slipping through the careful mask he had tried to place before talking to her.

Poppy looked away, a hand coming up to wipe across her tired face. "I just... I just thought it would be better, for everyone, if Ben stayed with you for awhile."

"Is he mine?" The question was asked softly, Mick was still uncertain what he wanted the answer to be.

"Of course he is, Mickey. Can't ya tell, looks just like you." She had a small smile cross her face, "Hell he acts like you half the time too."

Mick was wide eyed, he had seen it himself but having someone else say it to his face threw him for a loop. Leonard took that moment to step in and say something.

"While it's clear that this isn't the best environment for a kid, what makes you think that we're fit for raising a kid?" Leonard paused briefly, carefully choosing his next words. "If you need support, we can do that for you two. Find a place where you guys can live."

Poppy looked at Leonard, curious at first before a interested look seemed to fall over her face.

"You'll give me money?"

"We can give you a place to live and help you support Ben, yes." Leonard's eyes narrowed, uncertain what was going through this woman's mind.

"Oh...Okay. Yeah. That could work." She sat up, "Should I come with you now?"

Mick sighed, "Yeah Poppy. Come on, let's get this shit figured out."


End file.
